Which should you choose between Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 8? The S9 Plus, which Samsung presented at Mobile World Congress 2018, is quite similar to the Galaxy Note 8 in terms of design and power. Samsung’s flagship presents itself as a revolutionary smartphone, but the Note 8 was the first to introduce its dual photo sensor. Half a generation apart, the two smartphones have many differences, and they can actually influence the choice between the two models.
The S9 Plus duo were presented at the Samsung conference at MWC 2018, along with the Galaxy S9. After months of waiting and a critically acclaimed rollout, many Samsung smartphone users may be wondering if they should upgrade to this new model. We’ve already identified the differences between the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S8, but the Galaxy S9 Plus quite naturally contrasts with the Galaxy Note 8, which was released in August 2017. Which should you choose between the two?
Galaxy S9 Plus vs Note 8: Which smartphone to choose?
| Galaxy S9+ spec sheet | Galaxy Note 8 spec sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 157.7 x 73.8 x 8.5mm | 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 189g | 195g |
| Screen | 6.2″ AMOLED Infinity Display | 6.3″ Super AMOLED |
| Definition | 1440 x 2960 pixels (531 ppi) | 1440 x 2960 pixels (522 ppi) |
| Photograph | Rear: dual sensor 12 MP (f/1.5, 26mm, 1/2.5″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1 µm, AF) / Front : 8 MP (f/1.7, 25mm, 1/3.6″, 1.22µm), autofocus, 1440p@30fps | Rear: dual sensor 12 MP (f/1.7, 26mm, 1/2.5″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel PDAF) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1 µm, AF), OIS, phase detection auto focus , 2x optical zoom, LED flash/ Front: 8 MP (f/1.7, 25mm, 1/3.6″, 1.22 µm), autofocus, 1440p@30fps |
| BONE | Android 8.0 Oreo + Samsung Experience 9.0 | Android 7.0 Nougat + Samsung Experience 8.0 |
| internal memory | 64GB | 64GB |
| Micro SD | Yes, up to 256GB | Yes, up to 256GB |
| connection | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band, WiFi Direct, hotspot | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band, WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| NFC | Yup | Yup |
| SoCs | Exynos 9810 | Exynos 8895 |
| data store | 6GB | 6GB |
| Fingerprint sensor / face recognition | Yeah yeah | Yeah yeah |
| water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| battery | 3500mAh | 3300mAh |
| charging port | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| Fast charging | Yup | Yup |
| Wireless Qi charging | Yup | Yup |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Grey, Lilac Purple | black, silver, gold, blue |
| Price | 959 € | 1009 € |
The S9 Plus and Note 8 are two particularly powerful smartphones. For one, the Galaxy S9 is clearly out of the game with the new SoC Exynos 9810, where it crushes the Galaxy S8, LG V30 and Mate 10 Pro in benchmarks. It will offer 15-25% more power than the Galaxy Note 8. That’s a lot of power, but it reaches such a power that most users might not notice the difference. On the other hand, the Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 8 have the same amount of RAM.
When it comes to storage, the S9 Plus has several larger variants than the Note 8 and has the ability to expand the memory by 400GB. The battery is a bit more important on the S9+ side as there is a 3500mAh battery. Finally, the Galaxy S9 Plus benefits from Android Oreo, while the Galaxy Note 8 is still waiting for the update. The Galaxy S9 Plus is the winner in terms of power and autonomy, but the Galaxy Note 8 will already be well suited for most uses.
Few design changes
The size of the two smartphones is basically the same, within a few millimeters. When comparing the Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 8, two important differences stand out. The first is the rounding of the screen edges, which is more noticeable on the S9 Plus. It is a feature that we leave to the discretion of each of them. The second is the displacement of the fingerprint sensor, which is badly positioned as its extension, especially in the Galaxy S8 series and Note 8.
New speakers appear on the top of the smartphone, the flagship is finally equipped with stereo speakers, one of the new features that make the Galaxy S9 indispensable. These AKG speakers are compatible with the Dolby Atmos standard. It offers approximately 40% more powerful stereo sound than the Galaxy Note 8, allowing the smartphone to benefit from better sound quality than the previous model. On the other hand, the S Pen and its functions remain exclusive to the Note 8.
Dual aperture camera
The leader of the mobile division was very insistent on the Galaxy S9’s camera during the Samsung presentation at MWC 2018. The dual-aperture photo sensor of the Galaxy S9 Plus may also begin to justify the purchase of the smartphone. It allows the user to automatically select the aperture required for shooting, resulting in excellent quality photos: f/1.5 in low light conditions or f/2.4 when the scene is brighter.
The Galaxy S9 Plus also introduces other new features like the arrival of 3D emojis. Its sensors can scan users’ faces to create an image. 3D emoji that can be customized based on your image. The slow motion feature has also proven to be particularly convincing. The S9 Plus’s “reinvented camera” does particularly well in the dark, thanks to its variable aperture. Finally, the Galaxy S9 Plus offers a combination of face and iris recognition to unlock the smartphone.
similar price range
The price of the Galaxy S9 Plus was announced as 959 Euros. But the offer to trade up to 300 euros for an old smartphone makes it possible to lower the price with a bonus of 100 euros by pre-ordering the smartphone between 25 February 2018 and 15 March. Note that payment is offered in four installments on the Samsung site. The Galaxy Note 8 was launched in August 2017 with a price of 1009 euros and this is still the price shown in some retailers. However, other vendor sites have slashed the price of the Galaxy Note 8 to around 650 Euros. After all, it matches the price of the Galaxy S9+ when traded and discounted.
The main argument of the Galaxy S9 Plus is its revolutionary camera, but that of the Note 8 is already excellent. So, depending on the needs, a cheaper Galaxy Note 8 can be very affordable for the majority of users and will save a few hundred euros if the user is not able to take advantage of the discount Samsung has to offer. But for those who definitely want to take advantage of the Galaxy S9 Plus’s amazing stereo speakers and camera, it may be worth waiting a few months for the flagship’s price to drop.
